1. Jomon Pottery
12,000- BCE – 300 BCE

2. Jomon History
Jomon is the longest and first recorded culture in Japan.
These first inhabitants of Japan arrived during the most recent ice age by foot.
At the time, Japan was connected to mainland Asia.

3. Jomon History
The Jomon period began during Paleolithic Age and went into the Neolithic Age.
Paleolithic – nomadic hunting society
Neolithic – sedentary society
The Jomon began as a hunting and gathering society. The development of the vessel is a sign the society became more sedentary.
Why would this be?

4. Jomon Culture Interesting facts:
The Jomon people developed ceramic technology before agricultural technology, which is different from other sedentary cultures.
As the climate became warmer, the Jomon people had more access to food and the sea level began to rise.

5. Construction
Like all other Neolithic cultures, women were responsible for the construction of these vessels.
All Jomon pots were hand built because the potter’s wheel did not yet exist.

6. Construction
Their clay was held together by adhesive materials such as, mica, lead, fibers, and crushed shells.
How does their clay compare to the clay we use in this room?

7. Firing When bone dry, these vessels were piled into open fire pits.
The temperature of these open fire pits reached no more than 900 C (1652 F)
What temperature do we usually fire our kilns at?

8. Purpose Jomon pottery was functional rather than decorative.
What do these words mean?
Functional – designed to be useful rather than attractive
Decorative - to make something more attractive or
ornamental.

9. Purpose Why are these vessels considered functional?
What was their function?
The Jomon used these vessels for cooking, storage, and bone burial.
Why did they also make these vessels so decorative? What does that say about these early people?

10. Construction The word “Jomon” means
“cord (jo) marking (mon)” in Japanese.
By the middle Jomon period, the composition of the vessels became more abstract, asymmetrical, and detailed.
How would you describe the lines created by the rope-like clay construction?

11. Construction
The line vocabulary that may be used to describe these pots includes:
Ovals
Scrolls
Hatching
Parallel lines
Zigzags
lozenges
Triangles
Scallops
Curved lines

12. Our Jomon Inspired Project
Project will be made by a hand building technique called coiling.
Coiling – Long rolls of moist clay.

13. Requirements Coil pots must be at least 6 inches tall.
There must be evidence of line variation.
Coils may not be smoothed together.